Julian Ralph Ford
Encyclopedia
Dr Julian Ralph Ford was an Australia
n chemist
and ornithologist. He was born in Perth
and graduated in chemistry from the University of Western Australia
in 1955. He worked for the Shell Oil Company
until 1960 when he went on to a career of lecturing on chemistry, first at the Perth Technical College and then the Western Australian Institute of Technology
.
Ford's early ornithological work included a study of Yellow-rumped Thornbill
s. Later he focused on the speciation
of birds in inland Australia, making several expeditions in the course of his research. He also discovered that the Wedgebill comprised two separate species, the Chirruping
and Chiming Wedgebill
s. He was a member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
(RAOU) and served on its Taxonomic Advisory Committee. He also contributed numerous papers to its journal, the Emu
. In 1983 he was awarded a PhD
by the University of Western Australia for his ornithological studies.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and ornithologist. He was born in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and graduated in chemistry from the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
in 1955. He worked for the Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
until 1960 when he went on to a career of lecturing on chemistry, first at the Perth Technical College and then the Western Australian Institute of Technology
Curtin University of Technology
Curtin University is an Australian university based in Perth, Western Australia, with additional campuses in regional Western Australia and at Miri , Sydney and Singapore...
.
Ford's early ornithological work included a study of Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
The Yellow-rumped Thornbill is a species of passerine bird from the genus Acanthiza. The genus was once placed in the family Pardalotidae but that family was split and it is now in the family Acanthizidae. There are four subspecies of Yellow-rumped Thornbill. It is a small, brownish bird with a...
s. Later he focused on the speciation
Speciation
Speciation is the evolutionary process by which new biological species arise. The biologist Orator F. Cook seems to have been the first to coin the term 'speciation' for the splitting of lineages or 'cladogenesis,' as opposed to 'anagenesis' or 'phyletic evolution' occurring within lineages...
of birds in inland Australia, making several expeditions in the course of his research. He also discovered that the Wedgebill comprised two separate species, the Chirruping
Chirruping Wedgebill
The Chirruping Wedgebill is a species of bird in the Cinclosomatidae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 27 July 2007....
and Chiming Wedgebill
Chiming Wedgebill
The Chiming Wedgebill is a species of bird in the Cinclosomatidae family.It is endemic to Australia.The Chiming Wedgebill makes a cooing sound during mating.-References:...
s. He was a member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union
The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, also known as Birds Australia, was founded in 1901 to promote the study and conservation of the native bird species of Australia and adjacent regions. This makes it Australia's oldest national birding association. It is also Australia's largest...
(RAOU) and served on its Taxonomic Advisory Committee. He also contributed numerous papers to its journal, the Emu
Emu (journal)
Emu, subtitled Austral Ornithology, is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. The journal was established in 1901 and is the oldest ornithological journal published in Australia...
. In 1983 he was awarded a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
by the University of Western Australia for his ornithological studies.